The dramatic situation
at a Primark store in Villeneuve-la-Garenne commune in the
Hauts-de-Seine region northwest of the city started early in the
morning, French media reported. As armed robbers entered the
shop, one of the employees sent a text message to her boyfriend
reporting the situation.

Police deployed the elite RAID team to the scene and cordoned off
the area. The gunmen were barricaded inside the shop. French
media say there were two or three assailants involved in the
hostage-taking.

Fortunately, the situation was resolved with no bloodshed.
It was not immediately
clear whether the attackers managed to escape or hid in the large
shop during the police operation and sneaked out.

The Villeneuve-la-Garenne Primark is one of 165 stores located in
the Qwartz mall, where the hostage-taking happened, and one of
five the brand has in France.

No evidence suggests
this is a terrorist act, according to police sources cited by the
local media. Traffic was rerouted in the Qwartz mall
neighborhood, and shops were closed.